CANADA STOCKS-TSX may open lower, corporate earnings weigh

Oct 23 (Reuters) - Canada's main stock index looked set to
open sharply lower on Tuesday, hurt by concerns the slow global
economy will continue to weigh on corporate earnings and Moody's
credit downgrade of five Spanish regions.

TOP STORIES

* Spanish bond prices fell after Moody's downgraded five of
the country's regions including economically important but
deeply indebted Catalonia, while safe-haven German bonds
gained.

* Du Pont reported a lower-than-expected third-quarter
profit and said it would lay off 1,500 workers as part of a
cost-cutting program designed to offset falling sales around the
world.

* Apple Inc is expected to make its biggest product move
since debuting the iPad two years ago, launching a smaller,
cheaper tablet into a market staked out by Amazon.com Inc and
Google Inc.

* 3M company reported a 6.7 percent rise in third-quarter
profit, but the company cut its profit forecast for the full
year as acquisition costs and a strengthening dollar hurt
margins.

* United Technologies Corp reported a 3.3 percent decline in
third-quarter earnings and cut its sales forecast for the year,
citing weak demand from airlines and an uncertain economy.